Emerald Fennell’s New Take on This Wuthering Heights Character Is Its Best Twist

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Isabella Linton isn’t usually one of the first characters people think of when discussing Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. In this classic 1847 gothic romance, which centers on the passionate and turbulent relationship between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, Isabella is introduced as the sheltered and well-off younger sister of Edgar Linton. Edgar inherits the nearby Thrushcross Grange estate and eventually marries Catherine. Isabella becomes a tool in Heathcliff’s plan to get revenge on the Earnshaw and Linton families, but she eventually escapes the Yorkshire countryside and dies at a young age.

Emerald Fennell’s new take on Wuthering Heights—deliberately presented as a distinct adaptation—offers a fresh perspective on the classic story. This version reimagines Isabella (played brilliantly by Alison Oliver) as a timid and sheltered young woman under the care of Shazad Latif’s Edgar, rather than his sister as in the original novel. The arrival of Catherine (Margot Robbie) and a sophisticated, newly wealthy Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi) sparks a dramatic transformation in Isabella, who is both fascinated and uninhibited.

Oliver described his character’s transformation, explaining that Isabella is initially portrayed as childish, badly behaved, and overly dramatic – almost like a spoiled child. He explained that Isabella has been treated like a child by Edgar, and the arrival of Cathy and Heathcliff forces her to grow up and enter a new stage in her life.

Okay, so everyone warned Isabella that Heathcliff was trouble – a total monster, even – but she went for it anyway, ending up in a truly awful, passionless marriage where he basically just tormented her. In a lot of adaptations, they really play up how she’s tricked and forced into it, and then she’s just left completely miserable and at his mercy. But the Isabella in Wuthering Heights? It’s… different. It doesn’t quite play out that way, and that’s something I’ve always noticed.

I was totally shocked when Nelly arrived at Wuthering Heights to find Isabella! In the book, Heathcliff hangs Isabella’s dog, and seeing her chained up felt like a dark nod to that. But then… wow. Instead of being the innocent victim we expect, Isabella actually crawls towards Nelly with this creepy smile, and it’s clear she’s not just putting up with Heathcliff’s abuse – she’s into it! It’s really disturbing, but it definitely flips the story on its head to see her embracing this submissive, almost pet-like role.

Oliver explained to ELLE UK that Emerald’s take on Isabella’s story is the opposite of Cathy’s, portraying Isabella as someone who breaks free from constraints. He noted the strength in being underestimated, suggesting Emerald’s portrayal highlights this power by showing Isabella ‘come undone’.

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2026-02-14 02:06